1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in electronically operable quiz apparatus, and, more particularly, to quiz apparatus which are capable of electronically determining if a user selected a correct answer from a plurality of given answers for a question.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with many forms of electronically operable calculators, including small portable desk-type calculators and hand-held calculators. In addition, many of these calculators are programmable to perform a wide variety of mathematical functions. However, in each case, the calculator is programmed so that it can only handle a finite number of questions, given the programming and the storage capacity of the calculator. Thus, the calculator may be adapted to handle questions dealing with mathematical solutions, as for example, addition or subtraction, and even questions dealing with simultaneous differential equations or the like. However, in all prior art calculators, only questions of a mathematical nature were capable of being solved such that an answer to any question was necessarily in the form of a mathematical answer.
There have also been a large number of portable and hand-held quiz devices, primarily for children, and which are capable of quizing a child user in terms of various mathematical functions. Thus, some of these devices will present a question in the form of, for example: 2+ 2= , and the child user attempts to select the right answer. If the user selects the wrong answer, the apparatus will provide an indication of an improper answer. These apparatus are programmed so as to quiz children on mathematical functions in a variety of ways. Thus, for example, the apparatus may present the question: 9.div. =3. However, in each case, the apparatus is again limited to presenting questions which require mathematical answers, and, moreover, is limited by virtue of the storage capacity to a selected number of question forms which can be presented. Even moreso, in these latter devices, questions are not specifically introduced, but rather the apparatus internally generates and presents the question to the child user.
There are other forms of question and answer devices, primarily for children, and which are mechanically actuable. In these devices, a card or element having a programmed edge or portion, as for example, with notches in certain places, may be inserted into a housing, and the child user attempts to find a correct answer by actuating some mechanism on the housing. However, each card must physically interact with the housing in order to provide a determination as to whether or not the child user has selected the correct answer.
There are also apparatus in which electrical interaction between a card or similar substrate having magnetic encoded information thereon and an electronically operable device takes place. Thus, in these apparatus, information is introduced into the device by electromagnetic or similar sensing techniques. Here again, there must be some physical interaction between the substrate and the electronically operable device.